Tokyo 2020: Of congratulations and celebrations

It was midnight but Sweden’s Stahl Daniel and Simon Pettersson were in no mood to end their celebrations at the Olympic Stadium. Three hours had passed after heady one-two finish in men’s discus throw but the night for them had just started.

Draped in Swedish flag, they sang, posed for pictures and moved around the stadium, arms locked on each other’s shoulders. Barring some media persons wrapping up work, there was no one around but Daniel and Pettersson didn’t seem to care.

Who could tell a while ago, they were engrossed in an intense contest — world champion Daniel taking the gold with a throw of 68.90 and Pettersson following him with a best effort of 67.39.

A handful of coaching staff were cheering the two relentlessly from the stands. As Pettersson sealed the silver with his penultimate attempt, Stahl ran towards the contingent and grabbed Swedish flags, handing one to Pettersson. Sweat glistening under lights, they celebrated.

“We are the Swedish vikings!,” Stahl shouted into the camera which was following him.

On a hot and humid night, world’s best track and field stars had lifted the spirits of an Olympics, which is badly in need of some buzz.

The first mixed gender 4X400 relay race, too, was an absolute thrill with drama of nervous exchange of batons, fumbles, and leads changing hands many times. It was pulsating, unpredictable, and emotional.

The Polish team of Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and Kajetan Duszynski won gold but till the final turn, USA and the Netherlands were in contention. But the tall Duszynski showed what a class act he is running a beautifully paced anchor leg. Duszynski spread his arms on reaching the finishing line and was sat in the track with hands on his head when his teammates joined him. They huddled, hugged and lifted each other, crazily. It was the first gold for Poland.

“I can’t believe it. It is a dream since childhood. It has come true. It’s such a great feeling,” said Duszynski.

The show-stopper of the night was Elaine Thompson Herah’s Usain Bolt-style flourish at the finish; her left hand pointing at the scoreboard at least 10m before the finishing line. If there was delight in lane four, there was despair in lane five with the ageless Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce knowing that the gold wouldn’t be hers.